Means for producting theatrical stage effects



G. W. HANLON.

MEANS FOR PRODUCING THEATRICAL STAGE 'EFFECTS. \rrucmon FILED pc.19. m9.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921 UNITED STATES, PATENT oFFicE."

GEORGE W. HANLON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO EDW'ARD A. MORANGE, O

NEW YOBK, N. Y. i

MEANS FOR PRODUCING THEATRICAL STAGE EFFECTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

Application filed December 19, 1919. Serial No. 345,988.

prior invention, and is an improvement thereon in various respects.

One object of my present invention is to simplify and improve the form of construction; another object is to produce a unitary structure capable of being easily and quickly moved about as a unit; and another particular object is to produce the appearance of a star having a transparent appearance and adapted to exhibit within the star a person, object or group of any kind as desired.

A. further object is to give the appearance of a scintillating star. These and other objccts and advantages of my invention will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, it being evident that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of my invention with certain parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view, and Fig. 3 1s a horizontal section on the line 3-3 ofFig. 1.

The device is mounted upon a supporting platform A, which in turn is provided with casters A for convenient and rapid moving about of the complete unit. A central supporting rod 13 is shown supported upon and fixed to the base or platform A, and is turned at right angles for supportin a seat or platform (3, the rod, or support con tinuing upwardly where it is again turned at right angles to form a vertical support and bearing for the structure at the top. This main support B is braced by supports D extending from the base A which may be in the form of metal rods, plates or angle irons, which are securely bolted or clamped to-the central support 13.

Above the'braces D, the support B carries a sleeve E, which preferably is provided with a ball bearing. At the upper end of the rod B is a similar sleeve E. The sleeve E is shown as having a pulley F driven by a belt F from an electric motor G of the vertical type, that is having its axis andthe axis of the driving pulley vertical. The motor (it is supported upon a bracket or frame H on a support I).

The sleeves E E support bars or rods 1 which are bent in the shape of a six-pointed star as shown, one pair of rods 1 I being in the same'plane and on opposite sides of the axis of the device, and another pair of rods being similarly related in a plane at right angles thereto. It is evident, however, that a greater or lesser number of these rods may be used and located at various angles to each other and may be irregularly spaced in some instances for further enhancing the variable effect produced. Upon the bars I are mounted thin metal and comparatively wide plates J, which follow the contour of the rods I of star formation, the plates J being secured to the rods I by straps K. The plates J are tapered at the top and bottom of the star as shown.

The plates J will preferably have highly polished surfaces, which may be colored or have variable colors to give the particular effect desired, the effect of which may be heightened by light projected upon the de vice from various sources, and which may be of varying colors. Also the star itself may carry lights, flags, streamers or other decorative objects.

The platform being occupied by one or more persons or objects, or group as desired, the outline of the star is revolved by the driving motor G, the speed of which may be adjusted or varied by the usual controlling rheostat to give desired effects. The result is to produce an illusion of a scintillating star containing a person or objects within.

This invention, in various modifications for creating particular illusions or effects may be applied not only to producing theatrical stage effects, but in advertising deices, display signs and other display objects for various purposes.

I claim 1. The combination of a base, a central support, a frame of star outline journaled on said support, said frame having one of the points of said star coinciding with the axis of rotation of said frame, means for revolving said frame about the axis of said support, and means for supporting a relatively stationary object Within said frame.

2. The combination of a base, a central main support, a revolving frame of star outline journaled on said support, said frame having one of the points of said star coinciding with the axis of rotation of said frame, said frame comprising supporting rods and sheet metal mounted thereon, and means for supporting a relatively stationary object Within said revolving frame.

3. The combination of a base, a central support having an offset portion for the 10- ings for said frame at the opposite ends of said offset portion of said support.

5. The combination of a base, a vertical central support, braces extending from said base to said support, a frame revoluble about said support and journaled on said support at the upper and lower portion of said frame, means for accommodating a relatively stationary objeet Within said frame, and a motor for revolving said frame supported from said base.

6. The combination of a base, a central vertical support having an offset portion for accommodating a relatively stationary object, a frame of star formation journaled on said support above and below said offset portion and enveloping said offset portion, and a motor for revolving said frame about said support.

GEORGE W. HANLON 

